05/11/2021 (Agence Europe) – Unprotected or insufficiently protected old-growth and natural forests in 76 localities in Slovakia, totalling almost 6,500 hectares, will be declared a nature reserve on 1 December 2021, the NGOs OZ Prales and the WWF announced on 5 November. The Slovak government approved the creation of this new reserve on 3 November, which the two NGOs had been calling for to protect the remaining old-growth forests. A petition with more than 30,000 signatures was handed over to the Slovak Minister of the Environment, Ján Budaj, in September 2020, highlighted the NGOs who had already begun mapping these forests in 2017. With its decision, Slovakia contributes to the objectives of the Carpathian Convention and the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030, according to which “all remaining primary and ancient forests in the EU should be strictly protected”. (AN)